Sign panel



Dec. 31, 1968 GOODMAN 3,418,738

SIGN PANEL Filed April 6, 1966 45 INVENTOR SOL GOODMAN ATTORNEYS United States Patent- 3,418,738 SIGN PANEL Sol Goodman, 20310 Kentfield, Detroit, Mich. 48219 Filed Apr. 6, 1966, Ser. No. 540,765

7 Claims. (Cl. 40130) The present invention relates to advertising devices and more particularly to an improved face panel for an illuminated sign board structure.

The present invention has particular application to those types of signs which are made up of a plurality of translucent or transparent rectangular face panels each of which normally has lettering formed thereon and which are mounted side edge to side edge in a support structure to form an elongated horizontal sign. Normally the support structure includes a housing provided with upper and lower horizontal support surfaces and a plurality of regularly spaced U-shaped channels defining a plurality of rectangular, co-planar openings. The face panels conventionally have raised sides terminating in a peripheral flange extending transversely to the sides. Each of the face panels is mounted in a peripheral extruded frame having an F-shaped cross-section with a pair of parallel flanges defining an inwardly facing slot. The face panel flange is mounted in the frame slot such that the unflanged section of the frame extends rearwardly of the face panel. The upper side of the frame is hinted to the support housing so that the panel can be raised and lowered into a position where the sides register in the U-shaped channels.

Conventionally, the face panels are press formed of an acrylic plastic so that they present a dished face on which silhouette letters are provided. The support housing includes an illumination compartment behind the face panels and provided with a source of light to assist the advertising letters to stand out in sharp contrast to the panels.

A problem with the conventional panel construction lies in the framing structure. The outward extending peripheral flange requires a frame having sides that project outwardly from the sides of the face panel. Thus the face panels are spaced apart in the support housing usually presenting a minimum of inch gap between adjacent panels. This gap or spacing between panels detracts from the cooperative advertising etfect presented by the housed panels.

The present invention obviates the aforementioned spacing disadvantage of conventional transparent sign panels by providing for a panel structure in which the opposite side flanges are parallel to one another and extend rearwardly rather than outwardly of the face. The upper and lower sides of the panel terminate in the conventional flange portions extending outwardly in a plane generally normal to the sides. The side flanges preferably extend rearwardly of the upper and lower flanges at least a one-half inch.

The frame of the improved panel is generally formed of a lightweight metallic material and including upper and lower extruded members having the conventional F-shaped cross-section defining inwardly facing slot in which the upper and lower outwardly extending panel flanges are received. The side members of the frame are formed of a sheet material having a generally U-shaped configuration defining a forward facing slot into which the rearwardly extending sides of the panel are received. Because the side members of the panel frame are parallel to one another and normal to the face of the panel, the panels may be mounted in the support housing such that the panel sides substantially abut one another with a minimal gap between adjacent panels.

The reduced frontal surface of the improved panel side framing members thereby improve the appearance of 3,418,738 Patented Dec. 31, 1968 changeable signs of this character by eliminating the interpanel gaps so that the silhouette letters are more sharply set off.

It is therefore an object of the present invention to improve the appearance of changeable panel signboard structures by providing a panel configuration requiring a frame with side members presenting a minimum frontal surface so that the panels may be mounted adjacent one another with a relatively small inter-panel gap.

It is further object of the present invention to simplify the framing requirements of transparent, plastic sign panels by providing a panel of this type having a dished face with upper and lower outwardly extending flange portions and side flanges extending rearwardly of the upper and lower flanges and normally thereto.

Still further objects and advantages of the invention will become apparent upon reference to the following detailed description and accompanying drawings, in which like reference characters refer to like parts throughout the several views and in which:

FIGURE 1 is a perspective view of a changeable signboard housing having panels embodying the present invention;

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged sectional View as seen from line 2-2 of FIGURE 1;

FIGURE 3 is a sectional view as seen from lines 3-3 of FIGURE 1; and

FIGURE 4 is a perspective view of a preferred panel and frame illustrating the invention with parts in section for purposes of clarity.

Now referring to the drawings, FIGURES 1, 2 and 3 illustrate a signboard structure 10 as comprising an elongated housing 12 supporting a plurality of framed panels 14. The housing 12 may have any suitable attractive configuration, but for purposes of illustration includes an upper horizontal support member 16 having normally and downwardly turned lips 17, a lower horizontal support member 18 having normally and upwardly turned lips 19 co-planar with lips 17, and a plurality of regularly spaced, vertical U-shaped channel members 20 joining members 18 and 16 to define a plurality of rectangular openings 21.

Now referring to FIGURE 3, the panels 14 are formed of a translucent or transparent plastic such as an acrylic resin, and press molded to form an outwardly dished face section 28 having upper and lower inclined portions 30 terminating in outwardly extending flanges 32. The panels 14 also have parallel sides 34 extending rearwardly of upper and lower flanges 32 preferably a minimum of onehalf inch.

A silhouette letter 36 is formed on each of the faces 28 by any well known means, preferably by embossing, a letter on the interior surface of the panel and then spraying acrylic colors on interior surfaces. An alternative and effective method is to form a separate three dimensional letter out of a suitable acrylic plastic, cementing the letter to the outer face of the panel and then routing out the panel behind the letter to permit light penetration. Still another method is to cut out a flat plastic letter which is cemented to the face of the panel.

Referring to FIGURE 4, each panel 14 is provided with a peripheral frame 38 preferably formed of a lightweight material such as aluminum and including an upper member 40 and a lower member 42 joined at their ends by side members 44. Upper member 40 and lower member 42 have similar F-shaped cross-sections and are formed preferably of an extrusion having a flat side 46 having a normally extending flange 48 formed along the forward edge thereof and a second flange 50 spaced from flange 48 to define an inward facing slot 52. The upper and lower panel flanges 32 are mounted in the frame slots 52 in a loose fitting relationship to permit vertical expansion and contraction of panel 14 due to variations in the ambient temperature.

The frame side members 44 are joined of a sheet material into a generally U-shaped cross-section and are slipped over the panel sides 34 and joined to the upper and lower frame members on the inner surface of extrusion sides 46 rearwardly of the inner flange 50. The side members 44 also fit panel sides 34 in a loose fitting relationship to permit space sufiicient for thermal expansion and contraction.

The panels 14 are preferably each mounted to the housing 12 by pivotably' connecting the under side of the upper frame member 40 to adjacent the upper forward edge of upper support member 16, by hinge 54, as can be seen in FIGURE 2. The panel 14 thus can be raised and lowered for purposes of access to the interior of the housing. In the lowered position, the lower panel frame member 42 preferably slips under the lower surface of the lower support member 18 so that the inner flange 50 of the frame abuts the lip 19 of the support member. The panel 14 is then locked in the closed position by a threaded fastener 56 connecting lower frame member 42 to the housing support member 18.

Referring to FIGURE 3, the panels 14 in the lowered position register their frame side members 44 in the housing channels 20 and are normally spaced so that the sides of adjacent panels abut one another. Thus it can be seen that the improved panel configuration permits each framed panel to be mounted side edge to side edge so that the interpanel spacing required by the frame side members has been reduced to a minimum. By reducing this interpanel framing gap, it has been found that the silhouette letter 36 are more effectively and sharply set off from the panel faces.

It is to be understood that although a support housing having a plurality of panels has been illustrated for purposes of description, a modular unit comprising a single panel housing and the improved panel may alternatively be utilized.

Normally, the panel 14 is formed of a plastic tinted or colored to assist the silhouette letters to more effectively stand out.

Although I have described but one preferred embodiment of my invention, it will be apparent to one skilled in the art to which the invention pertains that various changes and modifications may be made therein without departing from the spirit of the invention or the scope of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a sign structure, the combination comprising:

(a) a support housing having a rectangular opening;

(b) a plurality of rectangular panels, each having a planar face and a pair of parallel panel sides extending normally to the plane of their faces;

(c) a frame associated with each panel having a pair of parallel frame sides retaining the parallel panel sides of its associated panel, each parallel frame side being formed of an extrusion having a U-shaped cross section defining a slot having a pair of spaced sides, the slot facing in a direction normal to the plane of the face of its associated panel, each slot being engaged with the edge of one of the parallel sides of its panel, the frames being connected with the housing to support the panels in a continuous series over the opening in the housing with their faces in co-planar relationship and the parallel sides of each panel being supported in face-to-face relationship with the parallel sides of its neighboring panels with their frame sides in substantial abutment so that the parallel panel sides are separated by the thickness of the sides of the slots in which the panel sides are retained.

2. A structure as defined in claim 1, in which each of said panels has an upper flange and a lower flange, each of said flanges being formed in a plane parallel to the face of the panel and having an edge facing away from the panel and wherein said parallel sides extend rearwardly of said flanges.

3. A structure as defined in claim 2, including indicia imposed on the co-planar faces a face of said panels.

4. A structure as defined in claim 3 wherein the indicia are opaque and imposed on a translucent face of each panel, and including a source of illumination disposed Within said housing and adapted to silhouette said indicia.

5. A structure as defined in claim 2, wherein each of said frames is pivotally connected to said housing.

6. In a sign structure, a support, a unitary panel having a planar face with a pair of parallel sides formed in planes which are normal to the plane of the face and parallel to one another, each of said pair of sides terminating in a free edge facing in a direction parallel to the plane of its sides, a second pair of sides connecting the ends of said first pair of parallel sides to form a four sided perimeter, each of the second pair of sides terminating in a flange formed in a plane which is parallel to the face of the panel, each of said flanges having a free edgefacing in a direction parallel to the face of the panel, and means for mounting said panel on said support.

7. The invention as defined in claim 6, wherein the free edges of the parallel sides of the panel extend rearwardly of the face of the panel beyond the flanges of the second pair of sides.

References Cited UNITED STATES PATENTS 8129,951 9/1906 Dawes 40132 2,699,620 1/1965 Smythe 40132 3,023,524 3/1962 Muse 40-432 EUGENE R. CAPOZIO, Primary Examiner.

WENCESLAO J. CONTRERAS, Assistant Examiner.

US. 01. X.R. 40-140 

1. IN A SIGN STRUCTURE, THE COMBINATION COMPRISING: (A) A SUPPORT HOUSING HAVING A RECTANGULAR OPENING; (B) A PLURALITY OF RECTANGULAR PANELS, EACH HAVING A PLANAR FACE AND A PAIR OF PARALLEL PANEL SIDES EXTENDING NORMALLY TO THE PLANE OF THEIR FACES; (C) A FRAME ASSOCIATED WITH EACH PANEL HAVING A PAIR OF PARALLEL FRAME SIDES RETAINING THE PARALLEL PANEL SIDES OF ITS ASSOCIATED PANEL, EACH PARALLEL FRAME SIDE BEING FORMED OF AN EXTRUSION HAVING A U-SHAPED CROSS SECTION DEFINING A SLOT HAVING A PAIR OF SPACED SIDES, THE SLOT FACING IN A DIRECTION NORMAL TO THE PLANE OF THE FACE OF ITS ASSOCIATED PANEL, EACH SLOT BEING ENGAGED WITH THE EDGE OF ONE OF THE PARALLEL SIDES OF ITS PANEL, THE FRAMES BEING CONNECTED WITH THE HOUSING TO SUPPORT THE PANELS IN A CONTINUOUS SERIES OVER THE OPENING IN THE HOUSING WITH THEIR FACES IN CO-PLANAR RELATIONSHIP AND THE PARALLEL SIDES OF EACH PANEL BEING SUPPORTED IN FACE-TO-FACE RELATIONSHIP WITH THE PARALLEL SIDES OF ITS NEIGHBORING PANELS WITH THEIR FRAME SIDES IN SUBSTANTIAL ABUTMENT SO THAT THE PARALLEL PANEL SIDES ARE SEPARATED BY THE THICKNESS OF THE SIDES OF THE SLOTS IN WHICH THE PANEL SIDES ARE RETAINED. 